Or maybe Josh Beckett's Game 6, 78-pitch outing in the '08 ALCS, when the Sox starter was so sore after allowing two runs over five innings that he couldn't lift his arm over his head after the Red Sox win.

Buchholz accomplished what he said he would do.

The pitcher admitted to having his doubts in the days leading up to the start. His lat had been barking, resulting in soreness with each and every throw.

"The last two days were a lot better in terms of me going forward and coming into today, knowing I was going to pitch," Buchholz said. "A couple of days before that it was more me saying to myself that I was going to get through it. At certain points it didn't feel too good.

"I knew I was going to come in today, and I knew my name was going to be on the lineup card. That's sort of how I tried to leave it. I had [Ryan Dempster] in the bullpen with me if something wasn't right. But after I got off the mound, I knew my head I was going to be all right. The last couple of days I threw, the more I threw the better I got. From the first pitch I threw off the bullpen mound, everything was fine."

There was no gamesmanship. No rope-a-doping. The Sox' Game 4 starter was dealing with physical issues -- fatigue, dead-arm, whatever you want to call it -- and it was not going to allow for even close to the type of Buchholz stuff we have grown accustomed to.

What he did (with some help from modern medicine and the Sox' crack training staff) was find a way to manipulate what he had in, out and all over the strike zone just enough to record 12 outs … while even getting a chance to watch three strikes from the batter's box.

"Throwing strikes. Hitting the spot," Buchholz said regarding what he was focusing on upon taking the mound Sunday night. "There wasn't one pitch I threw where I was thinking about throwing it hard.

"It felt fine. I even feel like if I was going to try and throw it hard I could have thrown it 92-93. But not getting off a mound since the last time I pitched, I wanted to go with command over velocity."

Just seven of Buchholz's 29 fastballs touched 90 mph, with the pitcher relying heavily on his changeup (throwing it 16 times). Forty-four of his 66 pitches were actually out of the strike zone, with 17 of those going for strikes.

And then there was the slightly improved pace, and intent to avoid any obsession with throwing over with runners on.

"Even when runners got on base, my whole mindset was not picking over," he said. "If I have to hold a couple of different times, I would. My whole focus was throwing the pitch [David Ross] put down and throwing it to a location I wasn't going to get hurt with."

Those who watched Buchholz throw in the days leading up to Sunday were skeptical he would ever take the mound. Even in the moments leading up to the start, there were more than a few in and around Busch Stadium who refused to buy into the notion this would be the Red Sox starter.

And upon the mention of bench coach Torey Lovullo's statement on WEEI earlier in the day -- “Clay is ready to go. He’s fully armed and loaded. We anticipate Clay giving us 100 pitches and getting into the seventh inning, that’s first and foremost" -- shrugging became a popular mannerism.

And no, Buchholz didn't go seven innings. He went four. It was the first time since '03 (David Wells) that a pitcher was removed after pitching no more than four innings and surrendering one run or fewer.

The outing also marked the the 15th time in Buchholz's career that he had lasted no more than four innings. In his previous 14 starts under such circumstances, the righty accumulated a 15.07 ERA, with the Red Sox winning just three times. This one, however, separated itself.

And now he can leave the uncertainty behind, diving straight into one final appearance … perhaps in Game 7.

"After the first pitch, that's what I was thinking. I was like, 'Man, I finally threw a pitch.' It's tough to think about it now, all the stuff I went through to get up to this point. But you know what? World Series, hopefully not, but it might be the last time it ever happens, and if I wouldn't have at least gone out there and tried, I don't think I ever would have been able to forgive myself," Buchholz explained. "It was fun. Got a couple more wins to go. Like I said, team effort tonight. It was awesome."

Greg and Chris talk with Mike Reiss from ESPN Boston in hour 2 of NFL Sunday to discuss a variety of offseason happenings with the Pats and throughout the league. Greg and Chris also get into the NFL Draft and where Mariota and Winston will go.

Mike Reiss calls the guys to talk about the offseason news for the Pats. He talks about the Pats/Jets tampoering fiasco, free agency, where he sees Ridley and Connolly ending up, if the Patriots would be interested in Reggie Wayne and more.

In the first hour of the show, Greg and Chris discuss the news coming out of the owners' meetings this week and rule changes. Belichick's blow-up over the league not wanting to spend on endzone cameras was well documented and the guys react. They also talk about the Jets ridiculous tampering charges, free agents still lingering out there, where Stevan Ridley will land and the RB position in New England. Dickerson and Price briefly discuss the adventures of Tom Brady before being joined by WEEI.com's Mike Petraglia to talk all things Pats in the offseason.

Flannery joins Mut to break down the Isaiah Thomas trade to Boston and what it means for the Celtics this season and in the future. Paul also chats with Mut about the other deals that happened at the NBA's trading deadline

Mut, Tomase, and Bradford kick things off talking about Shane Victorino taking offense to people reading into some comments he made about trading for Cole Hamels. They also discuss Blake Swihart and how soon he could be up if Christian Vazquez starts the season on the DL.

Joe Kelly joined the Hot Stove show where he talked about being ready for his next spring training start after a biceps ailment forced him out of his last outing, he talks about his NCAA brackets and how teammate Wade Miley has a perfect bracket still.

Peter Chiarelli joined the Sunday Skate crew to talk about the Bruins playoff push heading into the final handful of games of the regular season. Chiarelli talked about avoiding some of the overly negative feedback he gets while realizing that the team does have real issues. He discusses what went down at the trade deadline and if he was happy with the outcome, Lucic having a down year and underperforming, the salary cap and if he considers it as big of an issue as it's been made out to be and what the future holds for the team.

It's a big hour #2 for the Sunday Skate dudes - they talk about the B's defenseman and what the future looks like at that position, with both moves the team can make and younger guys in the AHL. They also get into the Bruins philosophy on bringing guys up and sending them back down and how players deal with that. Finally, the boys are joined by Bruins GM Peter Chiarelli to discuss EVERYTHING.

The Sunday Skate crew gets the show going discussing the Bruins big, impressive victory over the NY Rangers yesterday. What can you take from that game? According to LB - Lyndon Byers - who called the guys from the road, not a lot. LB drops a dime on what was going on with the Rangers yesterday. DJ and Joe discuss Claude's lines and groupings and the importance of Ryan Spooner. They also get into Lucic, his contributions this year and if he can turn things around.

With the Wells report seemingly wrapping up (we hope), Tim and Lou got to talking about possible fines and punishments the Patriots must face. It's possible that the Patriots will face a small fine, but should they take that laying down? The conversation brings out a little passion from BOTH sides.